Stephanie Winans

Business & Marketing Strategy Consulting

facebook

What Radio Can Learn from Bands

by Leave a Comment

What if your boss or potential employer measured you on your success with digital? Many of us already feel the pressure to gain likes and follows, increase website traffic, and engage fans in conversation online.

A recent article in Ad Age called “What Brands Can Learn From Bands About Social Marketing” highlights social media success in the music industry. Creativity with social media, online content and fan engagement are criteria now considered by record labels before signing new artists.

Like musicians, our job in radio is to engage our audience (both on-air and online). Here are a few social media tips from bands:

  • “What’s in it for the fan should always be top of mind.” This should be the first question in your online content filter. If there is nothing in it for the listener, don’t share it.

 

  • Get to know your P1 listeners. Set aside time each day to respond personally to listeners who reach out to you online. Saying “Thanks for listening” doesn’t count. Create conversations. Build relationships.

 

  • At station events and concerts, post photos of the crowd on Facebook. Encourage the audience to tag themselves. This easy idea creates mass exposure on Facebook while also promoting the artist, venue and sponsor, as well.

 

  • Encourage listeners to upload pictures of station events or concerts to your website. Set it up in advance so listeners can upload pictures in real time from their mobile phones.

 

  • Create a social media promotion for your next concert or event. For example, save the best pair of concert tickets and do a “Tweet your seat for an upgrade” contest at the beginning of the show.

 

  • Let listeners submit questions for celeb interviews via Facebook and Twitter.

 

  • Create a Twitter hashtag and facilitate a live chat with an artist after the interview.

Social Media and Appointment Listening

by 2 Comments

Facebook and Twitter are different animals, and your frequency strategy should be different for each one.

For one, Facebook is not an of the moment, breaking news network like Twitter. (They want to be with the addition of subscriptions and the ticker, but they aren’t there yet.) Facebook users are less likely to take immediate action than Twitter users.

Secondly, while posting new Facebook status updates several times an hour will likely annoy your fans, tweeting several times an hour is not only excepted — some say it’s optimal.

  • Use Facebook to post show-related content that remains relevant in news feeds once the show is over (think podcasts, phone topics, videos or stories you shared on-air). Save the appointment listening, what’s happening right now updates for Twitter. Since you are only posting on Facebook every 1.5 hours or twice per show, choose your posts carefully.

 

  • Post the same A+ updates from Facebook on Twitter, along with more appointment listening and of the moment updates. Recent research by KISSmetrics shows that it is optimal to tweet 1-4 times an hour. Posting more often on Twitter means you don’t have to be as picky with the content you choose.

Here’s an example of how an appointment listening post differs on Facebook and Twitter:

You post “We’re giving away tickets to see Adele in 20 minutes” on both. What happens?

Twitter: The immediacy of Twitter may elicit a response, encouraging followers to listen to the show to win. By the time the tickets are given away, the tweet will be buried by other tweets.

Facebook: The post may be visible in your listeners’ news feeds long after you gave away the tickets. The way Facebook’s algorithm Edgerank works makes it impossible to gauge how long this post will be visible.

The results of a 2011 study from knowDigital based on interviews with 30 KROQ/Los Angeles Facebook fans matched my own observations on Facebook and appointment setting. This study shows that Facebook posts about show or station features increase awareness, but do not encourage fans to tune in at a specific time.

Use Facebook Insights or another analytics program to measure your Facebook engagement to see if this is true for your station or show.

 

-written for The Randy Lane Company Content Ideas

A 12 Month Resolution for 2012: Build Your Own Personality Brand

by 4 Comments

If you were asked to define your personality brand in 3-4 words, could you do it?

The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a “name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.”

The key word in this definition is distinct. Today everyone has an opportunity with social media to strengthen and distinguish their personality brand.

A brand is the personality behind the name. Defining your personality brand doesn’t end when your show is over. What you do online should reflect your on-air character and strengthen your brand by sending a consistent message to listeners.

Make your online presence a focus for 2012. It’s an important part of radio today, and could be considered a strength when your contract is up for renewal (or if you find yourself on the job hunt).

Here are social media tips to take you through all twelve months of 2012 (so no giving up on this resolution after January):

 

January:   Define your character in one phrase. (If you’re a Randy Lane Company client, you already have this down.) What adjectives describe you? Are you serious, comical, conservative, hip, edgy, fun? Use these to develop a “tone” for your brand voice. Listeners should get a sense of your personality by the way you write.

(While we’re on the subject, read Angela’s article on How to Write Funny if comical is in your character.)

 

February:   Set goals for yourself. Do you want to increase your number of Twitter followers, Facebook likes or YouTube subscribers? Are you interested in developing relationships with listeners or others in the radio industry? You can’t measure progress if you don’t know what your personal goals are.

 

March:   Choose a social app to help you easily manage various social networks. You’ll be able to manage your own accounts on different platforms (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), and manage the station accounts as well from one interface. You can also schedule some of your tweets and posts so your message reaches a larger percentage your audience. Here are a few of my favorite apps:

Many apps will even tell you when your audience is “listening”, which helps you understand the best times to post a status update or tweet.

 

April:   Develop a minimum frequency goal and stick to it (permanently). How often will you be tweeting or posting on Facebook? Regardless of your time constraints, setting a frequency goal will ensure your accounts stay active and don’t look stale.

 

May:   Share your opinion this month. What’s your take on the topic you’re posting about?  Provide the information along with your thoughts on it. Your opinions are part of what make your voice distinct.

 

June:   Create organic content by making a hot topic your own. For example, when Scarlett Johansson’s nude pics leaked, Nat from Breakfast with Nat & Drew, Virgin/Vancouver, took her own Johanssoning picture. Instead of her butt in the mirror, though, it was a donkey (still an ass!). This was a fantastic way to put a personal touch on a hot topic.

 

July:   Share what you’re passionate about this month. Love cooking? Make a video of yourself preparing your favorite recipe, and share it with listeners via your social networks and station website.

 

August:   Be self deprecating. Find a way this month to showcase your endearing flaws online the way you do on-air. If you’re known for having great hair, share a picture of the oh-so-rare bad hair day.

 

September:   Give listeners a peek into what you’re up to off the air. Use pictures and videos to show what’s going on behind the scenes.

 

October:   Network with others in the radio industry. LinkedIn and Twitter are great for finding people you would like to meet, or reaching out to someone for the first time. Building relationships within the industry is important because you never know when that person could be your next co-host, PD or GM.

 

November:   Use social media for show prep. Following shows you admire can be the catalyst for brainstorming on topics, features and contests. With Twitter, you can favorite tweets and look back at them when you have time.

 

December:   Focus on your listeners. Talk with them, not at them. Developing meaningful relationships with listeners can convert them into brand ambassadors, and give you a sense of what listeners like and don’t like about your show.

 

Just a reminder: All content should support the brand essence of your show and station, as well. If you’re posting on the station or show accounts, what you say represents more than just your personality brand. Keep this in mind if you want to keep your job!

Have other tips to share for 2012? Leave a comment. I would love to hear from you.

 

– written for The Randy Lane Company

 

8 Tips for Good Social Media Service

by 2 Comments

The term “customer service” conjures thoughts of restaurants, cell phone companies, and probably a few brands that you’ve sworn to never do business with again.

Think about your worst customer service experience. What was it that disappointed or upset you? A faulty product, a question that went unanswered after repeated attempts, the feeling that the business didn’t value you? Or worse– speaking to a representative with a sour attitude?

We’re in the customer service business, too, and our listeners are our customers. With social media, listeners are more likely to Facebook or tweet a question than call or email the station. Are you using this opportunity to answer questions, make a personal connection, encourage on-air listening and drive web traffic?

Is your staff social media service savvy? Here are tips to ensure that both you and your listeners are getting the most out of your station’s social media efforts:

 

  • Appoint a social media manager. Many stations leave air talent responsible for checking comments on posts or tweets made during their shift. While this allows talent to personally connect with listeners on a topic they’ve started, it doesn’t account for the numerous organic posts made by listeners, or the comments on popular posts or tweets from days past. Have one person who is responsible for ensuring that all questions and comments have been addressed.

 

  • Don’t overlook any avenues. On Facebook, view your wall using the Everyone tab so you see comments on your posts as well as organic posts from listeners. On Twitter, check @mentions and DMs. Use Twitter search daily to monitor and respond to other conversations about your station.

 

  • Respond in real time to reinforce the on-air brand. Often listener questions refer to an of-the-moment topic, such as a show topic or on-air contest that is happening right then. When possible, respond quickly so your answer is relevant.

 

  • Your station’s social media accounts often provide first-encounter experiences for listeners. Behave online the way you would at a remote or station event. Be thankful your listeners are there. Make them feel valued, and be friendly. While the latter sounds like common sense, two real examples I have seen this week say otherwise. One station made a post on Facebook asking for “NO COMMENTS”. Another responded to a listener question about a song that was played with “Ughhhhhh. Are you serious? That show is syndicated. I don’t know”.

 

  • Answer questions by providing additional information that drives website traffic. For example, if a listener asks “Is there another chance to win Maroon 5 tickets today”, reply with “Yes, you can win again at 11:20 and 3:20. Here’s a link to more information on our website. Good Luck!”

 

  • Answer questions with information that drives on-air listening. In the example above, you could respond with “What’s your favorite Maroon 5 song? We’ll play it for you before the contest at 11:20.”

 

  • Use comments to create conversation. Part of social media service is connecting with listeners who reach out to you. Many comments are not clear-cut questions, but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a response. If a listener writes about their love for a song you just added, respond with information that reinforces their passion for the music you’re playing. Send them a link to the video, or background information on the artist.

 

  • Respond to complaints. According to September 2011 research from Maritz and Evolve124: of 1,298 Twitter complaints reviewed, only 29 percent received a response from the company mentioned. The other 71 percent went completely ignored by the brand. 86 percent of the tweeters who were ignored said they wanted a response from the company. Your listeners want to know you’re listening. Address their concerns, have empathy, and try to solve the problem. Use social media to convert a frustrated listener into a P1.

 

written for Radio Ink Magazine

 

 

Content Tips for Social Media Success

by 2 Comments

Content is king. It’s what gets you new likes and followers on Facebook and Twitter, and it’s what keeps existing fans coming back for more. To engage listeners and increase your station’s online following, create a social media content strategy and share your focus with your staff.

To plan your strategy, make listeners your first priority. What do listeners want or expect from your station’s social media efforts? To answer this question, measure your current efforts and ask them directly.

Measure your current posts on Facebook using Facebook Insights or another third-party analytics application. Which posts receive the most exposure, the highest level of engagement, and the highest “talking about this” rating? On Twitter, which posts get @replies or retweets? You can also ask your listeners’ opinion using Facebook questions or a poll on your website.

Here are a few content tips to help you craft your own content strategy:

  • When promoting your social networks on-air, use words that focus on the listener, and not the station. (Think “what’s in it for them”, not “what’s in it for us”.) Promote what the station’s social media accounts have to offer the listeners instead of just requesting likes, which can sound desperate on the air.
  • Respond to listener questions. Listeners are more likely to ask a question on Facebook or Twitter than to call or email the station. If you don’t know the answer, find it.
  • Share concert announcements and music news. You are your listeners’ source for music information.
  • Post information about station promotions and events. Include the basic details and a link to your website for more information.
  • Post pictures and videos of in-studio celebrity interviews or performances, and at concerts. Create excitement about the interview or show by posting mobile uploads during the event.
  • Promote an upcoming guest by soliciting for listener input on what you should ask during the interview. When you use their questions, tell the guest the question is from a listener on Facebook or Twitter.
  • Share what’s happening behind the scenes. It’s no secret that listeners love seeing what goes on off the air. Share stories, pictures or videos to give them a peek “backstage”. This will make them feel like they’re part of the show.
  • Integrate social media into your on-air topics. Get listeners who post entertaining comments on-air, or read their responses along with their name and the source.
  • Listen to what your listeners are talking about online. 50% of conversation is listening, so make sure you pay attention to what is being said about your brand. Twitter search is an easy way to keep tabs on conversation about your station or show.
  • Plan a social media-intensive promotion. Use a third-party application to run the contest legally within the Facebook framework, or host the contest on your station website and promote it on your social networks.
  • Use Facebook, Twitter or even YouTube to share exclusive hints to a big on-air or text promotion.
  • Plan a picture of the day campaign for Facebook and Twitter. Post a different picture of your staff as your profile picture each day. Tease the picture on-air.
  • Conduct a fan of the day or fan of the week promotion by highlighting an active online follower. Create a graphic that includes the fan’s picture and interesting information about him or her. Mention the fan briefly on-air to draw attention to the promotion and encourage others to join the online conversation.
  • Conduct a scavenger hunt in your market for prizes. Use social media to post hints on your location. Post mobile uploads to Facebook and Twitter for a visual hint.
  • Create an entertaining on-air segment or promotion around social media. Read a funny status update or tweet of the day. Include Twitter trends in your entertainment report. Plan topics like “Facebook Court” to help listeners decide if they should unfriend someone.

-written for Radio Ink and The Randy Lane Company